Debosmita Ghosh • 09 Aug 2024
Noah Lyles Tests Positive For COVID At Paris Olympics; Top Symptoms Reported
Noah Lyles Tests Positive For COVID At Paris Olympics (Picture credit: Instagram/ Noah Lyles)
American sprinter Noah Lyles revealed that he tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week on Tuesday. Lyles, however, took part in the 200-meter race on Thursday and won the bronze medal. He later came for media duties wearing a mask and said, “I do have Covid.”
He continued, “I tested positive around 5am on Tuesday. I woke up feeling chills, aching, sore throat. Those were a lot of the symptoms I have had before getting Covid. I was like: ‘I need to test this one.’ It came back positive so we quickly quarantined in a hotel near the village and they got me on as much medication as they legally could to make sure my body was able to keep the momentum going.
“I still wanted to run, they said it was still possible so we stayed away from everybody and took it round by round. I have definitely had better days but I am walking around again. I was quite light headed after that race and the chest pain was definitely active. After a while I was able to catch my breath and get my wits about me. I am feeling a lot better now. It definitely affected my performance.”
USA Track & Field, in a statement, said, “After a thorough medical evaluation, Noah chose to compete tonight. We respect his decision and continue to monitor his condition closely.”
There are no mandatory rules in the Paris Olympics that bar participants from taking part in games if they test positive for COVID-19. According to a report in SELF, Lyles has severe asthma and took extra precautions to make sure he didn’t catch COVID-19 in the early stages of the pandemic, as he told The Philadelphia Tribune. CDC says that people with underlying health conditions, including asthma, are at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID.
While the number of COVID infections has reduced significantly across the globe, new cases are still reported. Along with that, new COVID strains have emerged. Earlier this year, the KP.2 and KP.1.1 caused a significant rise in COVID cases across the globe.
KP.2 is a part of a group of mutants which are known as FLiRT. The KP.2 and KP.1.1 are two variants and were responsible for nearly one-fourth of the COVID cases in the US. FLiRT variants are direct descendants of JN.1.
The KP.2 variant is considered to be the fastest-spreading variant in the US and has taken over the JN.1. variant. Experts say that they are still trying to understand the FLiRT variant and whether it is as contagious and deadly as its predecessors. WebMD says FLiRT also has some concerning features - like changes in the spike protein, which play an important role in helping SARS-CoV-2 take hold, colonise the body and make people sick.
Symptoms of FLiRT variants
- Fever or Chills: Most people infected with the virus have a high body temperature which is also a common symptom of COVID-19. Fever is often one of the early signs of infection.
- Fatigue: Feeling extremely tired or experiencing weakness and fatigue are common symptoms. It can persist even after other symptoms improve.
- Sore Throat: Pain or irritation in the throat is a common symptom.
- Muscle or Body Aches: Body pain which is described as muscle aches is a symptom of COVID-19.
- Cough: Persistent coughing, especially a new or worsening cough is a common symptom.
- Congestion or Runny Nose: Cold-like symptoms, such as nasal congestion or a runny nose, can occur but is less common.
- Headache: A persistent or severe headache can be a symptom of the virus. It may be accompanied by other symptoms of the COVID.
- Loss of Taste or Smell: Some people with COVID-19 experience a sudden loss of taste or smell.
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